Toggle bar for brachiation in place by the upper limbs

ABSTRACT

A toggle bar for brachiation in place by the upper limbs is disclosed herein and comprises an elongated tubular bar having Tshaped handles at the opposite ends thereof. A support is secured to the bar intermediate the ends thereof and has a hook shaped portion extending upwardly therefrom which is adapted to be detachably mounted on a suspended support whereby the bar is pivotally movable with respect thereto.

United States Patent [1 1 Martin [451 Sept. 24, 1974 TOGGLE BAR FORBRACHIATION IN PLACE BY THE UPPER LIMBS [76] Inventor: Robert M. Martin,90 N. Hudson, Pasadena, Calif.

[22] Filed: July 5, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 376,617

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 177,797,Sept. 3, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 272/62, 272/57 R [51] Int. Cl A63b 1/02 Field of Search272/54, 57 R, 60, 62, 63, 272/79 R; 211/113, 115, 116, 171; 248/215,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,585,748 5/1926 Wendelken272/83 R 1,658,108 2/1928 Vaughn 272/84 2,240,407 4/1941 Masters 272/57R 2,442,410 6/1948 Harpole et a1. 211/113 3,162,473 12/1964 George211/113 X 3,228,683 1/1966 Leteff 1 272/57 R 3,638,890 2/1972 Burrell211/113 X Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerHarry G.Strappello Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Zarley, McKee & Thomte 57 ABSTRACT Atoggle bar for brachiation in place by the upper limbs is disclosedherein and comprises an elongated tubular bar having T-shaped handles atthe opposite ends thereof. A support is secured to the bar intermediatethe ends thereof and has a hook shaped portion extending upwardlytherefrom which is adapted to be detachably mounted on a suspendedsupport whereby the bar is pivotally movable with respect thereto.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures "parllillllnlla This is a continuation, ofapplication 'Ser. No. 177,797, filed Sept. 3, 1971, now abandoned.

Brachiation is defined as locomotion in place by hanging the bodysuspended from its limb or limbs and alternately shifting the weightfrom one hand to the other. Suspending the body by the hands while thearms are extended over the head is one of the most primitive exercises.It is thought by some to have been-the major cause for man to be able tostand erect. This exercise is certainly one of themost importantexercises to practice in therapeutic and corrective exercise.Brachiation by the upper limbs (arms) will do much to elongate the bodyand to bring it to its maximum length. Pulling the body load through thelong axis when in the vertical position will aid in eliminating thepostural debt that is being built up in our bodies daily by sitting andstanding and lying on the horizontal. Postural exchange is imperative ifwe are to have maximum angles and lines of stress vectors playing uponthe body. Only with sufficient exchange of postures will direction oftissue flow and pressure alterations on the joints meet thephysiological requirements of the body. Postural change throughbrachiation ,will aid in separating the vertebrae, elongate the spineand relieve the pressure on .the facets, respective intervertebral disc,sacroiliac and lumb o-sacral joints. Directing the stress in anonduplicating manner allows for more space to develop between thevertebrae and allied joints thereby giving the intervertebral disc moreroom to operate in and react against compression. with such stresspractices, the wedging of the bodies of the vertebraes, thinning of thejoint spaces and the disc will resolve themselves better to thedecompression and compression forces. This type of over-all action hasthe most beneficial influence through its exchange of force therebyaiding in deforming the tissues to a more ideal homeostasis of tissueand organic health.

Brachiation by the upper limbs (arms) is possible by simply performingchin-ups or the like from a suspended bar. However, chin-ups do notfully provide the needed exercise.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a togglebar for brachiation by the upper limbs.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toggle bar forbrachiation by the upper limbs which causes the torso to be torquedthereby helping to straighten the lateral (scoliosis) weight-bearingcurvatures of the spine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toggle bar forbrachiation of the upper limbs which is conveniently mounted on asuspended support.

7 A further object of this invention is to provide a toggle bar forbrachiation by the upper limbs which permits pressure to be alternatelyapplied to and removed from certain joints of the body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toggle bar forbrachiation by the upper limbs which is easy to use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, andcombination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which: v j

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view illustrating the manner in whichthe toggle bar of this invention is used:

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toggle bar:

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the toggle bar with portions thereofcut away to morefiillyillustrate the invention: i

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side .view of the toggle bar with portionsthereof cut away to morefully illustrate the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional .view seen along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The toggle bar of this invention is referred to generally by thereference numeral 10 with the numeral 12 referring to a tubularsuspended support such as a pipe or the like. Toggle bar 10 comprises anelongated tubular bar means 14 having opposite ends 16 and 18, handles20 and 22, and support 24.

Inasmuch as the handles 20 and 22 areidentical, only handle 20 will bedescribed in detail. Handle 20 includes a tubular portion 26 which isreceived-in end 16 of bar means 14 and which is maintained therein bymeans of a spring pin 28 as seen in FIG. 4. Thetubular portion 26 isprovided with an outer end portion 30 which is secured to tubularportion 32 by welding or the like as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Plugs34 and 36 are inserted into the opposite ends of tubular portion 32 asseen in FIG. 3.

Support 24 is provided with a bore 38 which extends therethrough andwhich receives the bar means 14 therein as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thesupport 24 is maintained on the bar means 14 by means of a set screw 40to prevent rotation of the bar means 14 with respect to the support 24and to prevent slidable movement of the bar means 14 with respect to thesupport 24. Support 24 is provided with an arcuate hook member whichextends upwardly therefrom as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The hookmember 42 defines an opening 44 which is adapted to receive thesuspended support 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2 whereby the toggle bar 10can be pivotally moved with respect thereto. As seen in FIG. 2, the barmeans 14 is disposed at a right angle with respect to the suspendedsupport 12 and that the toggle bar is pivotally movable in a verticalplane with suspended support 12 serving as a horizontal axis.

The toggle bar 10 is used as follows. The support 24 is positioned onthe suspended support 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The person thengrasps the handles 20 and 22 as illustrated in FIG. 1 and supportshimself therefrom. The person then draws one end of the toggle bardownwardly by bending the elbow and allowing the other arm to push andextend its end of the bar upward as high as possible. The stress isexchanged by alternately raising and lowering respectively the ends ofthe bar. The handles 20 and 22 provide a convenient means for grippingthe toggle bar but it should be understood that a person could simplygrasp the ends of the bar means 14 if so desired. The toggle bar whenused as described brings the shoulders into stressful over-head use. Thealtered side-to-side traction helps to elevate and develop the rib cage.The torquing of the torso in this exercise helps greatly to straightenthe lateral (scoliosis) weight-bearing curvatures of the spine. Theweight-bearing is away from the joint spaces in this exercise. in orderto have full joint play there must not versely secured at one end tosaid first tubular poronly be compression for the health of the jointphysioltion at the center of the length thereof,

ogy but separation of the joint. Joint physiology reeach of said secondtubular portions being received q l milkingfpfesslfie and Pressureofflof by and secured to one end of said tubular bar the j f the toggi?3P oflthis invention Permits 5 means, said first tubular portions of eachof said and provides such full oint play. handles being horizontallydisposed when said bar Thus it can be seen that a novel toggle bar hasbeen means is Supported on id suspended support,

provided which permits brachiation by the upper limbs. a Support meansSecured to said bar means interme Thus i toggle bar accomplishes atleast an of Its diate the ends thereof pivotally supporting said barStated oblectwes' means from the suspended support, and

I claim: 1. A toggle bar for brachiation in place by the upper limbscomprising,

a suspended support,

a single elongated tubular bar means having opposite 5 ends,

grip means on the opposite ends of said bar means to enable a person togrip said bar means,

said support means comprising a unitary body por tion having a boreextending therethrough and an arcuate hook portion extending upwardlytherefrom, said tubular bar means extending through said bore, said hookportion having an opening formed therein adapted to receive thesuspended support, said opening being formed in said support each ofsaid grip means comprising a T-shaped hanmeans so that said bar means ybe Selectively dl i alignment i h d i h same h i l pivotally moved abouta horizontal axis which is plane as the elongated tubular bar means,disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of each of said T-shapedhandles comprising a first tusaid bar means.

bular portion and a second tubular portion trans-

1. A toggle bar for brachiation in place by the upper limbs comprising,a suspended support, a single elongated tubular bar means havingopposite ends, grip means on the opposite ends of said bar means toenable a person to grip said bar means, each of said grip meanscomprising a T-shaped handle in alignment with and in the samehorizontal plane as the elongated tubular bar means, each of saidT-shaped handles comprising a first tubular portion and a second tubularportion transversely secured at one end to said first tubular portion atthe center of the length thereof, each of said second tubular portionsbeing received by and secured to one end of said tubular bar means, saidfirst tubular portions of each of said handles being horizontallydisposed when said bar means is supported on said suspended support, asupport means secured to said bar means intermediate the ends thereofpivotally supporting said bar means from the suspended support, and saidsupport means comprising a unitary body portion having a bore extendingtherethrough and an arcuate hook portion extending upwardly therefrom,said tubular bar means extending through said bore, said hook portionhaving an opening formed therein adapted to receive the suspendedsupport, said opening being formed in said support means so that saidbar means may be selectively pivotally moved about a horizontal axiswhich is disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of said barmeans.